A ROW has broken out between the Yes and No camps in the independence campaign over a "misleading" pro-unionist leaflet hailing how Scots benefit from the UK's AAA rating, writes Helen McArdle.

The testy exchange came as the UK's AAA rating was downgraded for the first time in more than 30 years.

Independence supporters called on unionists to pulp the leaflet, produced as part of the Better Together campaign, after the ratings agency Moody's dropped the UK's credit rating from AAA to Aa1.

Moody's put the move down to the "significant challenges" facing UK debt-reduction plans.

North of the Border, the decision sparked a war of words between rival sides of the independence debate as Yes campaigners called for the "immediate withdrawal" of a Better Together leaflet which pushed the case for voting 'no' in the referendum by pointing out that "Scots save billions on the cost of mortgages due to the UK's AAA credit rating".

Kevin Pringle, Alex Salmond's senior political spokesman, tweeted: "On Thursday, No said they 'simply offer facts'. Today's leaflet says Scots save billions 'due to the UK's AAA credit rating'."

He added: "No campaign must withdraw misleading leaflet...#PulptheFiction."

However, the No campaign rubbished the claims, saying that the leaflet at the centre of the dispute had not been used since last year and their current leaflet made no mention of the rating.

Spokesman Rob Shorthouse said: "The leaflet they're asking us to pulp, we're no longer using anyway. The triple AAA rating was mentioned in one bit of campaign material that we're no longer using, so it's a bit of a fail from them [the Yes Campaign] really. They're just clutching at straws." He added: "If they want to pulp it, they'll have to drive round and knock on people's doors and ask for it back."

War of words over 'misleading' No vote leaflet